Final answer:
The phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology include requirements gathering, logical design, physical design, prototyping, implementation, and ongoing support, with prototyping being a critical iterative process for refining the design.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual framework used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application. The phases of SDLC typically include:
- Requirements gathering
- Logical design
- Physical design
- Prototyping
- Implementation
- Ongoing support
During the requirements gathering phase, the focus is on identifying what is needed from the system by speaking with stakeholders and end-users.
Logical design involves mapping out the conceptual structure without considering the physical system specifics. The physical design phase deals with the actual system hardware and software that will fulfill the logical design.
Prototyping is a key component, where a preliminary version of the system is built to test and refine the design. After prototyping, the implementation phase includes building and integrating the system into its environment.
Finally, ongoing support and maintenance are crucial in ensuring the system continues to function according to its design and evolving needs. This process is often iterative, especially during the design, prototyping, and evaluation stages, and may follow a spiral design process for continual improvement.